We’ve all seen the green logo that hangs above this coffeehouse, which seems to be bent on taking over the world. Another one is set to open on campus shortly.
I’m talking about Starbucks. In the coming months, the symbol of monopolistic coffee beans will find its way to Broad Street at Avenue North.
This poses the question: with two Starbucks already on campus, one in the TECH Center and another in the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at 1700 N. Broad St., do we really need another Starbucks on campus?
Or to go even further, do we really need another place to get coffee on this campus?
Mark Mattson, professor of geography and urban studies, said it isn’t worth it.
“I can go anywhere and in three seconds get coffee around here,” Mattson said. “I don’t think we need anywhere else to go get coffee.”
Mattson said he usually gets his coffee at Seattle’s Best inside Gladfelter Hall, and that he actually prefers it over Starbucks.
Starbucks made headlines on July 1 when it announced the closing of more than 600 stores, much to the dismay of Frappucino lovers everywhere. However, none of these closings are in the Philadelphia area. So if they’re closing stores, it doesn’t make sense to open another one, especially in such a caffeine-laden area.
Junior psychology and art major Valerie Pardee thinks there are too many places to get coffee on campus.
“I definitely don’t think it’s necessary to put in another Starbucks around here,” Pardee said. “There are a million places to get coffee in the area.”
Pardee, who is a Starbucks employee, thinks the space could be used more effectively.
“They should put in something that is either health-food related or entertainment related.”
The opening of another coffee shop on this campus is a strange occurrence. From where I sit right now, there are nearly 10 different places to get a cup of joe. Some may argue that Starbucks offers a special cup of coffee that you can’t get at, say, 7-Eleven. But how many of us are drinking mochachinos at eight or nine in the morning?
Temple’s growing campus does need more. More places to house students, more places to eat, more places to study and congregate. Put in another computer lab to quell the overpopulation of the TECH center. Put in another place to use meal plans so lines aren’t so long at the Student Center. Put in a health food store to help students keep off the freshman 15.
Temple can pass on another coffee shop.
Kyle Quinn can be reached at kyle.quinn@temple.edu.
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